"The Mechanics of Falling"

Bursting with unique and yet somehow very recognizable characters, "The Mechanics of Falling and other stories" (West Word Fiction, 2009), by Catherine Brady, is a wonderful collection of engrossing short stories. Most of the stories are set in or near my "home town," San Francisco, which is always an added pleasure for me. Two words kept occurring to me while reading this collection. One was "dense": the stories are intense and full, with no wasted words. The other was "uncoiling": each story gradually - or sometimes suddenly - uncoiled itself into a revelation, a new understanding. Highly recommended. And I am proud to say that the author teaches at the same university I do.

On another note: It has been exactly six months today since I started this blog. I have been very much enjoying writing it, and hope to continue for some time to come. Thank you, Mary, for suggesting it. And thank you, all of you who have been reading it, either occasionally or regularly. Additional thanks to those who have commented, either on the blog site or in emails to me (vandricks@usfca.edu). If you like the blog, please keep reading, and please tell your friends, family, and reading group members about it.